winefind.ca
If you want to buy a wine, just click on the wine name below and you will instantaneously connected with the LCBO database. The wine name will appear in blue and all you have to do is click on the name again and then the next screen will provide details along with the store search. Just click on the search. The number of bottles in each store is updated nightly. You should call the store first to see if stock still remains (each store phone number is provided).

Today’s Vintages release of 109 items is massive. As I staggered away from the 4-1/2 hour tasting, I wished that it could have been be split more evenly - only 57 items are coming out on September 20^th. Fortunately a number of good buys made it all worthwhile, especially with grapes varieties you don’t see every day.

An unusual California entry, Ironstone Vineyards 2002 Obsession (355784), may well bring music to your lips. Made exclusively from a grape called Symphony (cross between Muscat of Alexandria and Grenache Gris) developed at UC Davis by Dr.Harold Olmo. The nose will appeal to Muscat fans – intense with lots of sweetish, very spicy, Muscat fruit. On the palate, it’s sweet but refreshing with faintly spritzy, spicy, Muscat raisin flavours and a lychee finish. Serve well chilled, perhaps with Thai cuisine. If you are reluctant about investing $14.95, half bottles (910919) are available at $7.95. 

A hard-to-find white French Savoie also provides a satisfying change of pace. Necker Engel 2001 Château de Ripaille (944777 - $13.95) is a crowd pleaser made from the Chasselas grape, which is very popular in nearby Switzerland. The Necker Engel family acquired the 22 hc. vineyard on Lake Geneva in 1892. It is low in alcohol (11.5%) and has a honeyed, nutty, ripe melon nose. On the palate it is dry and well balanced with spicy, ripe lemon-apricot-melon flavours and a nutty finish. At its peak, it excels with fresh trout.

Last but not least is my Italian “O Solo Mio” highlight - Pieropan 2002 Soave Classico Superiore (946848) At $17.95. It costs more than many Soave, but there is a reason – quality. This blend of 90% Garganega and 10% Trebbiano di Soave is hard to beat. The nose is very fragrant with floral, honeyed, fresh citrus notes. While dry and lively on the palate, it is surprisingly well structured with ripe melon flavours and a long finish.

Moving on to the reds, there are two good buys from North America. The first is Magnotta  2001 Meritage (915256) at $19.95. This Niagara Peninsula VQA red is a blend of 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Cabernet Franc and 20% Merlot aged for 15 months in Franco-American oak barrels. Deep purple red in colour, the nose has spicy, ripe black cherry fruit along with some vanilla custard notes. It is very dry and well balanced with bright, ripe plum and black currant flavours along with some herbal notes on the finish.

The other is one of the best of the release: Ridge Vineyards  2000 Santa Cruz Mountains Red (938092) at $46.95. This solid blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot and 8% Petit Verdot is one of those rare California efforts that is actually worth the price. The nose is intense, complex and gently earthy with ripe plum purée fruit. It is well structured, intense and medium-full bodied with cedary, ripe plum flavours and a lingering, vanilla-chocolate finish. This solid red some accessibility but will be better in 2-3 years time.

Today’s two best buys come from the Languedoc-Roussillon region of France. The first is from the Costières de Nîmes, which is on the western border of the Rhone abutting Languedoc. Owner Cyril Marès produces two reds from his 22-hectare pebbled-covered vineyard. While the best is a Syrah-Grenache blend called “Tradition”, his Mas des Bressandes 2002 “Cuvée Excellent” (708750) at $17.00 also has its fans. This 100% Syrah has 14.5% alcohol and spent 12 months in used French oak. Look for rounded, rich, ripe plum and prune flavours with a lingering, somewhat earthy finish.

Perhaps even better is Alain Jougla’s Domaine des Jougla 2000 “Cuvée Tradition” (993014) at $15.95. This Saint-Chinian from the Midi has been a consistent winner. There are 150 cases and you should not miss this delicious blend of 40% Grenache, 40% Mourvèdre and 20% Syrah. The nose is great - loaded with smoky, spicy fruit. It is rich, rounded and mouth filling with almost raisiny, stewed ripe plum flavours.

Those wishing more information on the wines of this region should check out the Paul Strang hardcover Languedoc-Roussillon: The Wines & Winemakers. This informative 192-page effort belongs to the Mitchell Beazley collection and was published in 2002 (ISBN 1-84000-500-9). It is available on the Chapters-Indigo at $42.00 (vs. $60 list) along with free shipping. For information click here

Real fans of Beaujolais will love Georges Dubœuf 2001 Fleurie Château Des Bachelards (725200) at $21.55. Owned by Lombard-Platet, this is the most delicious Gamay I have tasted in quite some time! Look for a spicy, ripe black cherry and strawberry nose. Deliciously crisp but still nicely structured, the ripe strawberry-cherry fruit jumps out of the glass. Perfect to enjoy today.

Other best buys include: 2000 Quinta do Crasto (499764) at $13.75 from the Portuguese Douro; the delicious Tuscan Poliziano 1999 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano (702159) at $23.95; and the outstanding Moutaudon Brut Champagne (503979) - a terrific steal at only $36.95. If you are interested in getting the entire scoop on all the upcoming Vintages best buys, subscribe to Vintage Assessments today. If you sign up by September 9^th, you will be eligible for a $10 discount (quote coupon #30916) plus the chance of winning an invitation to the Spanish Wine Society’s Navarra tasting on September 10^th.

Coming up this Week

Tomorrow, Sunday September 7^th is the Southbrook Winery 10th Annual Wine & Food Festival Charity Event featuring 12 Ontario's wineries along with the culinary output of several local chefs and live music. Held at 1061 Major Mackenzie Drive, Maple from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Tickets are $14 per person, sampling tickets for food and wine are $0.50 each. Call 905-832-2548.

On Wednesday, September 10^th Barry Brown of the Spanish Wine Society presents “Bodegas Ochoa, Vinous Art from Navarra: Science and Tradition in Delightful Balance” (in other words the wines of Navarra) at 6:30 p.m. at the Toronto Lawn and Tennis Club, 44 Price Street. The price is $42/$48 and includes Spanish appetizers - call (416) 922-1105. For information click here

Next Friday, September 12^th is the Penfold’s Wine Dinner Gala complete with 7 wines (Grange included) at EPIC Restaurant at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel. Tickets are $125 per person - contact Joo-Rei Mathieson at 416-860-5097. For the full menu click here

Check out our winefind.ca tasting notes database

Our tasting note database goes back to January 1, 2001 and covers every Vintages release product for the past 31 months. There are approximately 5,000 notes in the database data. Just enter the name of the product, supplier name or CSPC number. Or you can search by type of wine, country of origin, even wine agent! Nothing could be easier. When you get your search results (starting with the most recent release), click on the item name and you will instantaneously connected to the FBTI Vintage Assessments database. You will see our tasting note along with the name of the agent. You can get information on the agent by clicking on the agent’s name. Also, you can check LCBO store inventory by clicking on Check LCBO Availability. It will automatically take you to the item you want to search.

To use our winefind.ca Tasting Notes Database: click here

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September 2003 InStore Discovery

Copyright Food & Beverage Testing Institute of Canada 2004
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